Electrical timer switch assembly with improved switch operator means for automatic and manual tripping

ABSTRACT

A time switch having a receptacle in its case in which one of the receptacle contacts provides the fixed contact of the switch means and the switch actuating means is disassociated from the trip means to prevent automatic operation of said time switch.

United States Patent 1 Koch [ June 12, 1973 ELECTRICAL TIMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED SWITCH OPERATOR MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL TRIPPING [75] Inventor: Claude V. Koch, Two Rivers, Wis.

[73] Assignee: AMF Incorporated, White Plains,

[22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 200,768

[52] US. Cl. 200/38 F, 200/38 FB, 200/38 D [51] Int. Cl. H0lb 43/18, G04c 23/50 [58] Field of Search 200/38 R, 38 A, 38 F,

200/38 FA, 38 FB, 38 D, 51 R-51.17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,260,807 7/1966 Rulseh et al. 200/38 FB 3,324,260 6/1967 Schumacher 200/51 R 3,588,391 6/1971 Banathy et al.... 200/38 D X 3,057,975 10/1962 Motten, Jr. 200/51 R 3,548,125 12/1970 Banathy et al.... 200/38 D 3,584,166 6/1971 l-lalicho 200/38 FB 3,522,393 7/1970 Banathy et al. 200/38 FB Primary ExaminerJ. R. Scott Attorney-George W. Price et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A time switch having a receptacle in its case in which one of the receptacle contacts provides the fixed contact of the switch means and the switch actuating means is disassociated from the trip means to prevent automatic operation of said time switch.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIED Jum 2191a SHEET 1 0F 2 INVENTOR. CLAUDE V. OCH

AGENT 1 ELECTRICAL TIMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED SWITCH OPERATOR MEANS FOR AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL TRIPPING This invention relates generally to time controlled switches and more particularly a time controlled switch having an improved operating mechanism providing for automatic and manual operation.

The time switch of the present invention is particularly adapted to control the operation of electric appliances found in the home, and is of the general type of device shown, described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No.

3,260,807 which issued July 12, 1966 to R.D. Rulseh et al. and is assigned to the same assignee as is the present application.

In time switches of this type, an override was commonly provided for the automatic operation tripping means when the switch was set for manual operation. These override arrangements are noisy and unnecessary forces are applied to the switch operator means which results in undue wear and possible early failure of the switch operator means.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a time controlled switch having an improved switch operator means for automatic and manual switch operation which requires no override when set for manual operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing time controlled switch in which the switch operator means has a manual actuator member, an automatic trip member and resilient means connecting the members together.

And another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing time controlled switch with an improved switch and receptacle construction.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a time controlled switch in accordance with the present invention with a portion of the dial broken away to more clearly show the switch operator means.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the novel time controlled switch with the base removed to show the novel operating parts thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the switch operator means set for manual operation.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to part of FIG. 3 showing the switch operator means set for automatic operation.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram.

Referring now to the drawings the novel time controlled switch, hereinafter called timer, is provided with a case which is preferably molded of a suitable dielectric plastic. The case 10 has a main circular wall 11 with a flange 12 at its upper end which intersects a smaller circular wall 13 with a bottom wall 14 which divides the case 10 into a lower or main chamber or cavity 15 and an upper or tripper chamber or cavity 16.

The main chamber 15 which is open at the bottom of the case 10, is closed by the base B of the timer. The tripper chamber 16 which is open at the top of the case 10, is covered by a dial D mounted on a shaft D8 which is rotatably driven by a motor 20 in the usual manner.

The bottom edge of the wall 11 has a slot 17 to receive a receptacle face (not shown) preferably formed as an integral part of the base B. Inwardly of the slot 17, a nest of flanges 18 is provided to receive and support a pair of receptacle contacts 31 and 32 of the novel combined switch and receptacle means 30. The receptacle contact 31 of electrically conductive material is made in the usual manner and is connected to a wire conductor 21 of the usual power connection of the timer which is also connected to the motor 20. The receptacle contact 32 of electrically conductive material has an elongated leg portion 33 extending inwardly from the wall 11 and terminating in a foot portion 34 provided with a contact face 35 which forms the fixed switch contact.

A post or support 19 depends from the wall 14 and is slotted or otherwise formed at its lower end to receive and retain a spring contact arm 36 made of a suitable electrically conductive material. The spring contact arm 36 is connected to the other wire conductor 22 of the timer power connection which is also conne cted to the motor 20, and has a free end 37 which is remote from the post 19. The free end 37 of the arm 36 is provided with a contact face 38 which is aligned with the fixed contact 35.

The wall 14 is provided with a depending shoulder or boss 23 with a central opening therethrough which extends through the wall 14 which is provided with a slot 24 spaced from the boss 23. The bottom edge of the wall 11 also is provided with a slot 25 for a finger pad, as will be further discussed, which is arcuately spaced from the receptacle slot 17.

The tripper means 40 for automatic operation is provided with a rod or shaft member 41 which is mounted for axial and rotary movement in the opening through the boss 23 and an aligned opening through the base B. The lower end 42 of the rod 41, which is outside of the timer provides a manual grip for moving the rod axially to shift the tripper means 40 between its manual operating position, as shown in FIG. 3, and its automatic operating position, as shown in FIG. 4. The rod 41 extends upwardly into the tripper axially spaced annular grooves 43 forming indents. A wire detent spring 45 is retained at its ends by slots in the wall 13 and against the wall 14, and is seated in one of the grooves 43 or 44 depending upon the position of the tripper means A trip lever 46 is mounted on the upper end of the rod 41 and is provided with a pair of upwardly extending lug portions each of the lug portions 47 and 48 being on the other side of the rod 41 from the other. The lever 46 is provided with a spring wire wrap 49 the ends of which extend therefrom in spaced parallel relationship. The lug 47 forms a cam follower while the lug 48 extends between the parallel ends of the wire wrap 49.

A manual switch operator means 50 has a tubular body portion 51 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft or rod 41 between the boss 23 and the base B. The body 51 is provided with an intermediate flange 52 having a knife edge 53 that extends toward and is spaced from the free end 37 of the spring contact arm 36. An

S-spring 39 is retained under compression between the knife edge 53 and the free end 37 of the arm 36. A lever portion 54 extends laterally from the flange portion 52 and terminates in a finger pad portion 55 disposed in the slot 25, and a rod or mast portion 56 extends upwardly from the flange 52, through the slot 24 of wall 14 into the tripper chamber 16 and between the parallel ends of the spring wrap 59.

It should be readily understood that the lug 48 of lever 46 and the mast 56 extending between the parallel ends of wire wrap 49 rotatingly joins the tripper means 40 and the manual operating means 50. The parallel ends of the wire wrap 49 being movable along the mast 56 permits the tripper means 40 to be moved between its manual and automatic operating positions without disturbing the rotatable interconnection. When the manual operating means 50 is rotated from one of its positions, either on or off, to the other the blade edge 53 moves across the free end 37 of the spring contact arm 36. This changes the direction of the force of the S-spring 39 to cause the free end 37 of the arm 36 to move and open or close the contacts 35 and 38 depending upon the position of the blade edge 53.

An arm 60 with an on cam or trip 61 and an arm 62 with an off trip 63 are provided to rotate with the dial D. The trips or cams 61 and 63 alternately engage the follower lug 47 as the dial D rotates to operate the timer when the tripper means 40 is in its automatic operating position. When the tripper means 40 is in its manual operating position, the follower lug 47 is withdrawn downwardly out of the path of the trips or cams 61 and 63.

The arms 60 and 62 are releasable from the dial in any well known manner so the on and off times may be set as desired. A variable off time mechanism 64, as shown, described and claimed in US. Pat. No. 3,397,645 granted Feb. 24, 1970 to R. Rulseh et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, may be incorporated in the novel time controlled switch.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A time switch comprising a case having a female receptacle adapted to receive the line plug of a device to be electrically controlled by said time switch;

a dial and motor means mounted in said case for rotatably driving said dial;

on and off automatic trip means connected to said dial for movement therewith and releasable there from for independent movement to adjust the on and off times of said time switch;

a pair of receptacle contact elements mounted in said case, one being adapted for connection to a wire conductor and the other being provided with a fixed switch contact face;

an electrically conductive spring contact switch arm fixedly mounted at one end in said case and being free to move at its other end;

the mounted end of said switch arm being adapted for connection to a wire conductor and the free end of said switch arm being provided with a switch contact face movable into and out of engagement with said fixed switch contact face;

switch actuating means for moving the spring contact switch arm, being selectively operable manually and in response to said automatic trip means between a stable position in which said switch contact faces are held closed and another stable position in which said switch contact faces are held open; and

said switch actuating means including means to prevent its operation by said trip means.

2. The time switch in accordance with claim 1, and

said switch actuating means comprising a first member mounted for rotation between said stable positions by said trip means;

a second member mounted for manual rotation;

coupling means joining said members together for rotation in unison and permitting said first member to be moved axially relative to said second member; and

a spring member held in compression biasing the free end of said spring contact arm toward and away from said receptacle depending upon the position of said switch actuating means.

3. The time switch in accordance with claim 2, and

said first member comprising a rotatable shaft;

a follower member mounted at one end of said shaft adjacent said dial and having a lug portion;

the other end of said shaft extending outwardly of said case for manual axial movement of said first member between a first position in which said lug portion is disposed in the path of movement of said trip means for automatic operation of said time switch and a second position in which said lug portion is moved out of the path of movement of said trip means preventing automatic movement of said time switch; and

detent means impositively retaining said first member from axial movement.

4. The time switch in accordance with claim 3, said second member comprising a tubular body portion rotatably mounted on said shaft of said first member;

a lever portion extending from said body portion and through said case for manual rotation of said second member; and

a knife edge extending toward and being spaced from the free end of said contact arm;

said knife edge providing a seat for said spring member and with said spring member being an over center means for moving the free end of said contact arm.

5. The time switch in accordance with claim 4, and

said follower member having a second lug portion;

said second member having a mast portion disposed parallel to said shaft and in part adjacent to said second lug portion; and

bifurcated means engaging said second lug and mast portions thereby connecting said first and second members together for rotation;

said bifurcated means being movable axially along said mast.

6. The time switch in accordance with claim 5, and

said bifurcated means comprising a wireform of spring material having a pair of spaced parallel ends each disposed on opposite sides of said second lug and mast portions from the other. 

1. A time switch comprising a case having a female receptacle adapted to receive the line plug of a device to be electrically controlled by said time switch; a dial and motor means mounted in said case for rotatably driving said dial; on and off automatic trip means connected to said dial for movement therewith and releasable therefrom for independent movement to adjust the on and off times of said time switch; a pair of receptacle contact elements mounted in said case, one being adapted for connection to a wire conductor and the other being provided with a fixed switch contact face; an electrically conductive spring contact switch arm fixedly mounted at one end in said case and being free to move at its other end; the mounted end of said switch arm being adapted for connection to a wire conductor and the free end of said switch arm being provided with a switch contact face movable into and out of engagement with said fixed switch contact face; switch actuating means for moving the spring contact switch arm, being selectively operable manually and in response to said automatic trip means between a stable position in which said switch contact faces are held closed and another stable position in which said switch contact faces are held open; and said switch actuating means including means to prevent its operation by said trip means.
 2. The time switch in accordance with claim 1, and said switch actuating means comprising a first member mounted for rotation between said stable positions by said trip means; a second member mounted for manual rotation; coupling means joining said members together for rotation in unison and permitting said first member to be moved axially relative to said second member; and a spring member held in compression biasing the free end of said spring contact arm toward and away from said receptacle depending upon the position of said switch actuating means.
 3. The time switch in accordance with claim 2, and said first member comprising a rotatAble shaft; a follower member mounted at one end of said shaft adjacent said dial and having a lug portion; the other end of said shaft extending outwardly of said case for manual axial movement of said first member between a first position in which said lug portion is disposed in the path of movement of said trip means for automatic operation of said time switch and a second position in which said lug portion is moved out of the path of movement of said trip means preventing automatic movement of said time switch; and detent means impositively retaining said first member from axial movement.
 4. The time switch in accordance with claim 3, said second member comprising a tubular body portion rotatably mounted on said shaft of said first member; a lever portion extending from said body portion and through said case for manual rotation of said second member; and a knife edge extending toward and being spaced from the free end of said contact arm; said knife edge providing a seat for said spring member and with said spring member being an over center means for moving the free end of said contact arm.
 5. The time switch in accordance with claim 4, and said follower member having a second lug portion; said second member having a mast portion disposed parallel to said shaft and in part adjacent to said second lug portion; and bifurcated means engaging said second lug and mast portions thereby connecting said first and second members together for rotation; said bifurcated means being movable axially along said mast.
 6. The time switch in accordance with claim 5, and said bifurcated means comprising a wireform of spring material having a pair of spaced parallel ends each disposed on opposite sides of said second lug and mast portions from the other. 